Court orders forfeiture of N250m allegedly diverted from NDDC

The Federal High Court sitting in Lagos has ordered the forfeiture to the Federal Government, the sum of N250 million allegedly diverted from the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC).

Justice Rilwan Aikawa gave the order on Thursday while ruling on an ex-parte application filed by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for the interim forfeiture of the money.

Counsel to the EFCC, Usman Buhari, told the court that the money had been illegally diverted from the NDDC, through a contract awarded by the Federal Government of Nigeria.

Buhari asked the court to make an order of forfeiture, as well as an order directing the publication of the forfeiture order in a national newspaper for anyone interested in the funds to show cause within 14 days why a final order of forfeiture should not be made in favour of the Federal Government.

Justice Aikawa, in a short ruling, granted the request of the EFCC counsel and ordered the forfeiture of the money.

The matter was later adjourned until July 9, 2020.